The Price of Freedom
by honestlee21
Summary: Set in 1940, Edward and Bella are faced with the upcoming tragedy of WWII. They are set to be married but find out what happens when Edward is forced into duty and Bella has to stay behind alone. Rated M for some violence and romance. All human.
1. The Day the Earth Shook

A/N Hello everyone, this is my first story for Twilight, I have written some fiction for Dawson's Creek, but I read some of Twilight and came up with the following. So i hope you like and constructive criticism is always appreciated. I do not own anything relating to Stephanie Mayer nor anything having to do with the Twilight franchise, this is merely for my entertainment as well as those who read it. I will be giving different POV's but i will specify before the chapter begins. Thanks and Enjoy:)

**The Day the Earth Shook**

BPOV:

Walking up to his house, I knew what I wanted. I wanted him to stay, stay with me where everything was safe. Where everything was normal and we wouldn't have to worry about never seeing each other again. Where all we had to care about was which china pattern we would have or who would be the one to turn off our bedroom light when we went to sleep. But some part of me knew that I wouldn't be able to convince him to stay. Part of me knew he would eventually leave, taking my heart along with him.

I knocked on the door and Esme answered. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying which every mother would be agreeable upon to do. She immediately pulled me into a hug, "Oh Bella what is a mother to do?" She sobbed onto my shoulder and I hugged her back as best I could, trying to be strong for her. She finally pulled back only to have her look at me with eyes filled with worry and fear. "How am I suppose to let my only child go off to war?" I didn't know what to say to her, I had to be the strength she needed, Edward had asked me to.

For a split second I remembered the day; a month ago when he told me he had gotten drafted. I was sitting by our tree near the creek that flowed through the backwoods near his home. The meadow wasn't that far away from the huge oak, where he had kissed me for the first time. I was reading my favorite book Wurthering Heights, when he walked up. "Hello there handsome", he took a seat down next to me on the blanket I had laid out. At once I knew something was wrong, he looked at me with fear in his eyes.

"I got picked." I was confused at first, "What do you mean, 'you got picked'?" He stared at me for a while and I started to get scared. "Drafted, Bella," my heart sank to the grass below me. My throat got dry and my entire body went numb. That one word will forever plague my mind, DRAFTED. I knew what that meant, it meant war, pain, separation, or even death. "Why, why you? You've just turned 21 Edward only 2 months ago. They cant do that, we are getting married in 8 months, they cant possibly send you when you are planning to start your life."

I was starting to get angry and hot tears began to streak my face. "They can do that Bella, and they did." I started to shake my head no. "They cant send you off to war, Edward. We can leave, we can go anywhere, they wont send after you, your only one person. We can start our life somewhere outside of here." I got up and started to pace around, my hand on my forehead trying to piece all of the details together.

"Yes that's what we are going to do, I have the money from the wedding saved, I think its about $4,000.00, and we aren't that far from Canada, which is the easiest place to go. We will get jobs and an apar…" He put his finger to my lips to silence me. "Bella, I have to do this." Bewildered I stared at him, "What?". I said it just above a whisper. "I have to go, I need to do this, it is my duty as an American." I just stared at him in disbelief, "Duty? What about your duty to me? I need you here, I need you to be safe. Your only duty should be to us and our future."

"Yes, Bella, your right; it is but how can I completely be devoted to you if America were ever invaded and you were taken away from me? I couldn't live with myself knowing I could have fought to protect you." I turned away from him and pulled my arms around myself. He came up behind me wrapping his arms around my own and rested his chin on my shoulder. "I know you're scared, I never said that I wasn't, but I have to go for my right as a free man. Fighting for freedom is an honorable thing Bella."

I shook my head and turned in his arms facing him, "What if something happens to you? How am I suppose to breath without you Edward?" He put his hands on my cheeks and looked down into my red eyes, "My heart belongs to you, as long as you have it, how can anything go wrong? My love for you will never cease. You are my life and if I have the chance to die to protect that, how can that possibly be a bad thing?" He pulled my face towards his and kissed me, softly and gentle. "You see, this is real. This is what I will be protecting; the freedom to hold your hand in public, the freedom to laugh, play and kiss you whenever I want." I knew then that I couldn't deny that right, I would want to know for certain that I wouldn't have to hide anything with Edward. I couldn't give him my approval, but I could give him my understanding.

"Well then, you go." He smiled down at me. "Okay, I do have one request though." "Anything," "Please be brave for my mother. I haven't told her yet and I know that she will need a shoulder to lean on." I looked at him with certainty in my eyes. "Of course, but you will write me everyday, tell me everything that goes on, what you see, what you hear, everything." He took my hand and placed it over his heart, "You are everywhere I am."

Sucked back into reality, I held Esme softly by the shoulders. I looked at her and smiled. "Everything is going to be alright. I know that it is so frightening and you don't know what to do with yourself, but it will be alright." She hugged me again before turning toward the house where we found Edward and his father Carlisle in the living room. I walked in and gave Edward a kiss hello. "Are you all set to go?" He grabbed his duffel bag and looked at Carlisle, then Esme and finally at me, "as ready as I'll ever be."

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I looked up at him trying to hold back my tears; I knew that I only had 15 minutes left before he would walk away from me into the jaws of danger. I reached up and laid both my hands on his face. "Please Bella, lets not make this any harder then it has to be." I searched his eyes, "I need you to promise me that you'll come back." "You know that I will come back."

He put his hands on my forearms that were still holding on to his face. "Promise me that you will come back to me. I wont be able to go each day without knowing you will come back to me." "I will come back to you, I will marry you, I will LOVE you, I promise with all of my heart." With that confirmation he lowered his lips to mine, I snaked my hands around his neck and kissed him with all that I had, pouring my heart and soul into it. I wanted to have him swallow me into him just so I wouldn't have to say goodbye. I felt his arms tighten around my waist as he lifted me off the ground only to set me back on my feet far too quickly.

"Bella, I am not going to say goodbye to you, I'm just simply going to say I love you." The tears in my eyes that I had been trying to hold back came flooding out at full force. He made a move to walk away lifting his hand to my check. He looked at me and took several steps in the direction of the plane. At that moment I was sure I had lost my mind, "Edward." He turned around, his green eyes sparkling in the twilight. I rushed over to him, "Edward, please don't go, don't do this, ill go anywhere with you, Canada, Mexico...anywhere, just PLEASE don't get on this plane." My tears were non stop at that point.

He looked down at me, "Bella, I promise you I will come back, but this is something I have to do, because I love you and I need to fight for the freedom to do just that, LOVE you. Remember that I am fighting for us, and our future." Just then his lieutenant gave the final call, "Solders, please say your goodbyes and board the aircraft." Edward squeezed my hand and started to walk away, he got to the top of the stairs just about to board when he turned around to mouth 'I love you' back to me. I returned with the same gesture and he smiled at me, giving me just the slightest of hope that he would return to me; just before disappearing into the darkness of the pain I knew would soon implode into my heart.


	2. Surprises Around Every Corner

A/N Hello there, here is the second chapter and it is still in BPOV. Again I do not own anything regarding Twilight. Enjoy:)

**Surprise Around Every Corner**

It's been 3 weeks since he started a new chapter in his life without me. 21 days since I have felt my heart at all. 30,240 minutes of nonstop aching pain in my soul. I have barely slept, eaten or simply let myself relax. Each second that passes by seems to taunt me. I simply just sit by my bedroom window staring out at the rain, wondering where he is at the moment. At night I ponder whether or not he is looking at the moon at the same instant that I do.

My mother Renee bought me a journal to write all my feelings in, but I find that I do not want to tell a journal my thoughts I simply want to tell them to my love, Edward. Everyday I write him, and everyday I get a letter in return. I try to make mine as cheerful as possible for him. I try to recall of the breathtaking moments we have shared together. As I sit here at my desk in front of the rainy window, I remember that fateful day when I started Forks High school, just three years ago. I smiled and took out another sheet of stationary and my trusty black ballpoint.

_My dearest Edward,_

_It is the 21st day since you have left me, and I am reminded of my loneliness each time a raindrop falls upon my window pane. However I am joyful to remember that you are here simply in my heart. But I cant help the fear that creeps up on me every so often. I want to know that you are alright, and that you think of me. _

_I am sitting in my room and am reminded of our first meeting. Do you remember it? It still to this day makes me laugh. I remember the way you were so kind when I rode up to the campus on my skittish bicycle, to think if I hadn't had hit that rock on the sidewalk we might never have met. You were so wonderful and helpful to carry my books. _

_I remember the way Mike Newton threw his arm around me and the instant look of hatred you gave him. Was that a little jealousy? I am reminded of how you made sure I got to each of my classes all right and that no other boy helped me. You were then and forever my knight in shinning armor. I think back to those days in High School, when everything seemed simple and uncomplicated. _

_The days when we would go to the meadow and just talk for hours about anything. You had told me, "Bella, I want to everything what you are thinking all of the time." As if you could magically have that super power. I laugh now at my response, "If I could have one super power it would be to have you near me whenever I wanted." Do you remember that? You looked at me and smiled, pulling my face to your own to kiss me. "I think I want to change my wish to that as well." You always have wanted the same as what I want haven't you? _

_Your kisses are heavenly Edward. I want to kiss you now, but just the simply act of loving you will have to be enough until we see one another again. I remember the first time you ever kissed me. It had been after 4 months of my moving to Forks and 1 month after my 18th birthday. And it was underneath the big oak tree near the meadow. Do you remember which one I am talking about? _

_It was a warm sunny day and we had decided to have a picnic to celebrate the weather. I had made, what were they…. Oh cucumber sandwiches which we did not even eat. You were just telling me about the music class you were taking and how much you loved it. I still love watching your face as you talk about music. You entire face illuminates your creativity. You stopped and asked me "Why are you staring at me like that?" I blush still even to think about getting caught staring at you. I laughed and said, "I love watching the arch of your eyebrow when you get very serious about the melody of your music." You then stared at me in return waiting for my rose cheeks to go down. This didn't help because it was then replaced by the warmth of both your hands._

_ I was sure the look in your eyes was uncertainty. You questioned me with them to make sure it was alright if you continued. I think you were just as nervous as I, but you slowly trailed one finger down from my face to hook under my chin and you softly pressed your lips to mine. I can still feel your lips, even now. You then pulled back and searched my eyes and I smiled at you while wrapping my arms around your waist. I had never felt so euphoric in my life. I have since come down from that high even after 3 years._

_ The silky way your lips brushed mine was so tender and blissful that this heartache of mine is getting worse by the moment. But you made me feel so loved and cherished that I knew I would want to feel like that forever and you alone would be the person to make that happen. You are my best friend Edward, and I am filled with distress as the days pass when I can not hear your voice. I beloved, impatiently wait for your next letter as well as your return._

_All my love,_

_Your Bella_

I took an envelope out of the box full of my stationary and put the letter into it securely. I looked over at the clock on my lavender painted wall, 4:23pm. I needed to hurry to the post office in order to have my letter sent in time for Edward to receive it. Thank goodness we lived in town and it was only 4 blocks away.

Grabbing my rain jacket and boots I scurried out the front door. It wasn't raining terribly but just enough that I needed my matching polka dot rain gear. I solemnly walked down main street in direction of the giant bald eagle sign hanging out front of the post office. When I entered it, there weren't many people in there for which I was grateful. I didn't feel like seeing anyone.

But that was wishful thinking, as I walked back out into the rain I went smack dab into a man. I almost went down to the ground but he had caught a hold of my arm before my tumble. "Oh I am so sorry, I didn't see you there." I straightened my jacket and my hair to look up to a pair of warm brown eyes. "Its quite alright, no harm done." I started to walk away when he called after me. "Hey wait, don't I know you?" 'Oh Jeez I thought, please spare me the pickup line, I am in no way in the mood for it.'

But turning around I gave a small smile and shook my head. "No, im sorry I don't believe so." He caught up to me and said, "Yeah I do know you, aren't you Charlie's daughter?" I stopped walking, to face him, "Yeah I am, and how do you know Charlie?" I was stunned for a moment and wanted confirmation and quickly.

"I am a recruit for the police department here in Forks, I just transferred from Seattle. My name is Jacob Black." I wasn't at all impressed if that was what he was going for. "Sorry for the confusion, I didn't mean to upset you." I was getting impatient and wanted to leave. "There is no need to apologize…Jacob?" He shook his head yes. "But how did you know I was his daughter?"

He smirked which made me angry, 'why did he think this was funny'? "Are you always this hostile when someone recognizes you? I saw your picture on his desk when he interviewed me to transfer." I felt bad for a mere millisecond and started to continue walking. "Well, it was nice to meet you then." He started to follow me again and put his hand on my arm, for which I yanked back. He looked down and smirked again before saying, "Can I put a name to your face, you know just by chance I see you around again; I wont have to call you Charlie's daughter?"

I was hesitant, but he seemed pretty harmless and I just wanted to go home. "Bella, my name is Bella. Look I'm in a hurry to get home before the storm starts." I turned again and walked faster this time. Thankfully, he did not follow this round, but I heard him yell at me, "It was nice to meet you Bella." I turned around to give him a smile and realized that in three weeks time, I felt my heart beat for the first time in the hollow shell of my chest. I glanced back and saw Jacob's back walking in the opposite direction and immediately felt grateful for bumping into him, but at the same time I felt anger creep up my neck that this stranger was the first person to awaken me.


End file.
